Clara Bilbao

In-Cosmetics Global 2025 will be held in Amsterdam from 8th to 10th April.

For yet another year, GAIKER, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), will be presenting its range of R&D&I services in the field of dermo-cosmetics and will share a stand with Dr. Goya Análisis and Anmar Clinical Services, like in previous years.  

In-cosmetics Global brings together the global cosmetics industry by driving innovation, fostering connections and putting forward ideas that shape the future of beauty. It is the ultimate platform to explore new ingredients, discover emerging trends and develop formulas that captivate consumers and meet their expectations.

Visit us at stand 12D50!

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The Optidel Biosystems start-up will open up new frontiers in the development of advanced ingredients and customised solutions for the cosmetics sector

The Optidel Biosystems, S.L. start-up has been backed by the Basque Government’s Venture Capital Management Company (SPRI Group) through the BasketekVenture, FCR fund, which is part of the Basque Tek Ventures initiative. The addition of this new partner to its capital will enable the company to enhance its research capabilities and accelerate the expansion of its product range. Thanks to this strategic partnership, Optidel Biosystems aims to position itself as a leader in technological innovation in the cosmetics sector.

Optidel Biosystems was founded in 2023 by the GAIKER Technology Centre. Located in Bizkaia, it is a pioneer in the research and development of advanced cosmetic ingredients, with an exclusive focus on the application of innovative technologies to improve the solubility and stability of natural active ingredients, such as polyphenols. These compounds, known for their potent antioxidant properties and skin benefits, are uniquely harnessed through a patented technology platform.

Optidel Biosystems is committed to transforming cosmetics by creating customised solutions, using cutting-edge technology that optimises product formulation for companies in the sector and for discerning consumers looking for visible and effective results. Thanks to this technology, it is able to deliver concentrated active ingredients, maximising their efficacy in products for topical use.

More about Optidel Biosystems

Focused on a vision of sustained growth, in which innovation and sustainability are its fundamental pillars, Optidel Biosystems aims to continue to lead the way in the creation of new cosmetic ingredients that not only deliver clinically effective results for its customers, but are also environmentally friendly thanks to the integration of cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art scientific methodologies.

Its roadmap for the coming years includes clear goals to further drive research and development of new technological solutions, expand its operations and increase efficiency in its production processes. In this way, it seeks to consolidate its position as a global benchmark in the creation of advanced cosmetic ingredients, contributing to a more sustainable future and anticipating and responding to the demands of an increasingly discerning market.

Optidel Biosystems has been backed by the Basque Government through the SPRI Group – Basque Country Venture Capital Management Company’s Basque Tek Venture initiative. Basque Tek Ventures is a new initiative aimed at supporting, accompanying and investing in the creation of new technology-based companies (deeptech) based on technologies generated by the centres that are part of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA).

The initiative has its own fund ( BasketekVenture, FCR) that invests in the new start-ups created. It identifies and prioritises the technological assets with the greatest potential, supports the creation of high-performance teams and accompanies the setting up of the company and its access to the market through this technology transfer fund.

From 4th to 6th March, GAIKER will be present at the JEC World 2025 international composites show to be held in Paris Nord Villepinte. 

The Centre will present its technological offer in the field of Composites and Sustainable Functional Polymers and will exhibit different demonstrators created in various projects in which it participates.

This year, it will have its own stand in the Spain VI pavilion, organised by AEMAC, along with AIMEN, AITIIP, Eurecat, IDEKO, POLYMEC, REINFORCE3D, r-LIGHTBIOCOMP, TECNALIA, Titania Ensayos y Proyectos Industriales and ZIUR Composite solutions.

JEC World is the international show for composite materials and their applications. It is the leading event in the sector and hosts key players in the field of innovation, business and networking.

Visit us in the Spain Pavilion VI, Hall 5 F135!

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• The project is promoted by the GAIKER Technology Centre, the Basque Environmental Industry Cluster (Aclima), the Plastics Technology Centre (AIMPLAS), the National Association of Plastic Recyclers (ANARPLA), the Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy (CIDAUT) and VALORIZA Environmental Services.
• The initiative will provide solutions for industrial sectors such as the automotive, aeronautics, renewable energies and electrical and electronics sectors, among others.
• The aim is to make it viable to recover, valorise and reintroduce composite materials that currently end up in landfills into the production cycle.
This will make it easier for companies to manage and recover composite waste and to access recovered raw materials.

The GAIKER Technology Centre (project leader), the Basque Environmental Industry Cluster (Aclima), the Plastics Technology Centre (AIMPLAS), the National Association of Plastic Recyclers (ANARPLA), the Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy (CIDAUT) and VALORIZA Environmental Services have set up the CÍCLiCOM Innovation Ecosystem, the Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy (CIDAUT) and VALORIZA Environmental Services have launched the CÍCLiCOM Innovation Ecosystem, which brings together technology centres, companies and associations to jointly drive the effective circular economy of composite materials and, more specifically, “complex plastics”.

The project has been funded by the CDTI's Innovation Ecosystems programme, and the aim is to promote the introduction of the technological capacities developed by Cervera Technology Centres of Excellence into the economic and social environment, fostering their enhancement and contribution to the consolidation of innovative ecosystems The call is included in the actions foreseen in the National Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), and receives funding through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the European Union's “Next Generation EU”.

Composite materials, commonly known as ‘composites’, are those formed by combining two or more materials of a different nature, with the aim of achieving properties that are superior to those of all their separate elements, such as strength, performance at high temperatures, weight, hardness, conductivity, etc. These are materials such as PP polypropylene, PA polyamides, PC polycarbonates, UP unsaturated polyester, PU polyurethanes or SI silicones.

The special nature of these composite materials lies in the fact that the original materials retain their identity in their entirety as a whole in them. However, due to their characteristics, once their useful life is over, they often end up in landfills because there are no technically and economically viable alternatives for recovering them. The CÍCLiCOM project seeks to promote technological solutions that make it possible to recover and valorise these composite materials, and then reintroduce them into the production cycle.

This will help companies implement the technologies required to manage composite material waste, making it viable to recover, valorise and reintroduce it into the production cycle. Behavioural models of end products will also be developed in order to make it easier to re-use them in production processes and thus facilitate access to recovered raw materials.

The use of composite materials is common in most production sectors, including strategic sectors such as the aeronautics, automotive, electrical-electronic and renewable energy sectors. In fact, they are part of strategic elements such as wind blades, printed circuit boards and aircraft structures.

In Spain alone, the market for this type of material is estimated at 2 billion euros (according to data from 2022), and the market trend points to a growing demand for recycled materials. In fact, different studies estimate that there is currently a 20% deficit between supply and demand for recovered plastics in Europe as a whole, and that this trend will grow in the coming years.

Promoting the recovery, valorisation and reintroduction of recovered composite materials into the production cycle will not only have a positive impact on the environment, but will also bring significant economic benefits to companies by reducing costs with recycled products. According to different studies, work along these lines will increase resource productivity in Europe by 3% by 2030, which would translate into savings of up to 600 million euros per year.

In addition, promoting the circular economy of this type of material will generate economic activity in itself, with the consequent creation of employment.

The project will also be based on business collaboration, both within and outside Spain, and will work on preparing company-specific “technology roadmaps”, which will provide a clear, structured overview of important technological trends and development opportunities in the field of complex plastic waste valorisation.

It will also work on educating and training professionals involved in the plastic waste recovery industry, providing relevant knowledge and practical skills aimed at improving the competitiveness and internationalisation of companies, as well as fostering innovation, knowledge exchange and the development of sustainable solutions in the field of waste management.

All in all, by promoting the circular economy, CICLiCOM will drive the competitiveness and internationalisation of companies in different productive sectors, promote innovation, facilitate business collaboration and strengthen value chains. It will also promote the competitiveness of companies through services that encourage the implementation of advanced technologies and activities that foster collaboration and continuous training.

GAIKER's work

GAIKER is in charge of leading this ecosystem, in which it will provide solutions for recycling uncured prepregs, carbon composites, hybrid and multilayer materials and developing thermoplastic tapes for reinforcement. This is supported by pilot plants for recycling and reprocessing materials. The Centre will also contribute to defining new services for users, based on their experiences from a technological point of view, for activities such as benchmarking and developing technological roadmaps. In addition, it will provide technological support to companies in the ecosystem in their progress towards circularity.

GAIKER is also able to characterise materials and products, and to apply finishing and functionalisation post-treatments by applying paints and coatings that it has made available to this project.

This year we have started work on 12 new national recruitment projects.

One of these projects has received support from the support programme for Innovation Clusters (ICs) under line 3, digital technology projects.

• TeraMAT2: Development of an open certification platform to ensure the traceability of recycled plastic materials through Blockchain and inspection in the terahertz range.

Funded by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism

Eight projects have received aid from the ELKARTEK 2024 grant programme for collaborative research in strategic areas.

• MOSINCO: Non-contact monitoring of composite materials from manufacture to end of life. Coordinated by GAIKER
• BG24: Exploration and characterisation of molecular factors in cancer and their innovative applications in precision cancer treatments.
• BMG24: Collaborative research on biomarkers and alternative methods of diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of fibrosis-related pulmonary hypertension.
• EnHarPE: New energy harvesting systems for self-powered low-power devices using printed solutions and sustainable materials.
• 3DGREEN: Sustainable functional materials from recycled sources for 3D printing for the electronics sector
• ADDICOMP: Mass Production Digital Composites. Additive manufacturing technologies for highly structural composites.
• TERCOMAT: Research on the hybridisation of plastics with steel.
• CirIAMet: Intelligent technologies to drive the circularity of metals in new generations from vehicles no longer in use

Funded by the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government

One of the projects has received support from the 2024 Technology Transfer programme
• COMPLESOLV: Implementation of the circular economy for complex plastic materials through the development and application of solvolysis and dissolution processes.

Funded by Bizkaia Provincial Council as part of the 2024 Technology Transfer Programme.

Another of the projects has received support from the 2024 Innovation Ecosystem Support Programme
• CÍCLiCOM: Innovation ecosystem for the circularity of composite materials and complex plastics. Coordinated by GAIKER

The latter has received support from the TransMissions 2024 Programme
• CICLO: Cooperation and research on circularity in the wind industry. Coordinated by GAIKER.

Subsidised by the CDTI

Meanwhile, as far as international recruitment projects are concerned: In 2024 we received support from the European Union under the HORIZON EUROPE programme to implement 4 new recruitment projects, of which we are leading two:

• BIOSAFIRE: Development and manufacture of new, more sustainable and safer materials using biobased functionalised additives based on lingin and tannins to improve fire resistance. Coordinated by GAIKER
• E-OILE: Sustainable End-of-life routes for Single-use monodose packaging for oily products. Coordinado por GAIKER
• DESIDERATA: Integrated Pathways: Advancing Safe and Sustainable by Design Material Innovation through Collaborative Wisdom
• PAIRAMID: AI-based testing pyramid towards virtual certification of next-gen composite aerostructures

Funded by the European Union

Finally, we have received aid to acquire research infrastructures and equipment from AZPITEK (Acquisition of Research Infrastructures Aid Programme) and the Technology Transfer 2024 programme (Line 2. Grants for providing research infrastructures and for testing and experimentation)

Azpitek 2024 Programme:
• DATPOL: Multimodal characterisation platform for generating data and digitalising materials and polymer transformation processes
• TERATEK: Terahertz spectroscopy to investigate technologies related to the smart identification and advanced characterisation of waste and plastic materials and to activate the circular economy in recycling and processing

Funded by the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government

Technology Transfer Programme 2024
• Infrastructure for characterising and evaluating the bio-reactivity of new nano and microparticulate materials on human physiological barriers
• COMPLESOLV: Implementation of the circular economy for complex plastic materials by developing and applying solvolysis and dissolution processes

Funded by Bizkaia Provincial Council as part of the Technology Transfer 2024 Programme

We wish you a Merry Christmas!